Kuleba opens Ukraine's chairmanship of OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

29.04.2020 17:00

Ukrinform

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba has opened officially Ukraine's chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, delivering a speech at its first online session.

“Ukraine will hold the chairmanship in tumultuous times when Russian aggression continues against our country and the world faces the coronavirus pandemic. This is a time of great challenges, but we will continue seeking opportunities and constructive responses to these challenges,” the Minister said addressing the representatives of Forum’s participating countries and partners, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine informs.

Kuleba stressed that the OSCE remained a key platform for cooperation and dialogue and that the Forum for Security Co-operation, which focuses on the military-political dimension of security, was still a cornerstone of the organization.

The Ukrainian minister stressed that steps needed to be taken to restore confidence and stability in the OSCE region as the ongoing gross violations of the organization’s principles cannot be merely observed.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine also praised the important role of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission which has been working in Donbas for six years. He mentioned separately American paramedic, OSCE SMM member Joseph Stone who died in Donbas in 2017, and expressed condolences to his family and friends.

In his speech, minister Kuleba outlined the priorities of the Ukrainian chairmanship, including strengthening the role of OSCE in promoting the peace process between Ukraine and Russia and resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine; observing the security situation in the Black Sea-Sea of Azov region and its militarization; countering hybrid warfare; countering covert and unlawful use of private military companies in conflict zones; responding challenges related to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, in particular in the armed forces; combating arms trafficking, conventional munitions stockpile management; conducting mine action and demining of territories affected by conflicts and wars; building confidence and security in the military; implementing of the UN Security Council resolution 1540 against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security; holding a dialogue to implement the OSCE Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security.

As reported, Ukraine took over the Chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation from Turkey on April 20. Ukraine will be the first to chair the Forum online amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.